The white rose I picked up cried and said she liked me.

Was Xu Xi full at that time? Not at all.

She had been abused by her father for several days and hadn't eaten a single grain of rice; she felt like she could eat a whole cow.

But she dared not eat too much, for fear that Xu Nian would dislike her and she would lose this hard-won support.

Today, Xu Xi let go of all her worries and was determined to get her money's worth at this buffet, so as not to waste the hard-earned money her brother had made.

She forgot that she had been hiding her appetite, while her brother sat across from her watching her.

"Brother, actually... I don't actually eat that much, I'm just... I'm just a little hungry today..."

Xu Xi stammered as she tried to explain, her palms sweating profusely.

Oh no! If my brother finds out how much I can eat, will he abandon me?

Xu Nian gently hugged Xu Xi and whispered in her ear.

"Silly girl, your brother will earn lots and lots of money in the future, so you won't have to starve yourself and pretend to be full anymore, understand?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Xi's eyes welled up with tears.

She hugged Xu Nian tightly, ignoring the strange looks from those around her, and sobbed softly.

Xu Nian gently patted her back, slowly comforting her.

"How about your brother brings you here to eat once a week from now on?"

Xu Xi shook her head heavily and said, her voice choked with emotion.

"No, it's too expensive. Let's save the money to buy groceries and cook for our brother."

Xu Nian smiled and said, "It's settled then, once a week from now on."

......

On my way home, it started to drizzle, and the night market vendors packed up and left.

Xu Nian, who had intended to buy some more daily necessities, had to give up.

It was already late at night when I ran through the rain into the neighborhood.

"Halt! Where are you from?"

The night shift security guard was replaced by a spirited old man.

He racked his brains for a long time but couldn't recall any of these two people in the neighborhood.

"Sir, we just moved here today. We rented apartment 508 in building 3."

Xu Nian wiped the rain from her head and replied.

The old man looked at them with suspicion: "Let me see the rental contract?"

Xu Nian realized she was in trouble. She had rented the apartment from Grandpa Deng by paying the money and receiving the keys in return, without signing any written agreement.

"Sir, I didn't sign a contract, but I have a key. Could you let me in and watch me open the door with the key?"

The old man immediately became more alert: "No, who knows where you got the key? No unauthorized personnel are allowed in."

After saying that, he took out an iron bar from the security room and pretended to drive the two away.

"Old Liu, it's raining so hard, why are you still out on guard duty?"

Upon hearing the voice of the newcomer, Xu Nian was overjoyed.

This is Grandpa Deng's voice.

"Old Deng, you've come at the perfect time."

Grandpa Liu blew his beard and glared at Xu Nian and the other man, pointing at them as he spoke.

"These two people say they have a key to Xiao Deng's house and want to enter our compound. Check if you've really lost your key."

"Little Xu?"

"Grandpa Deng, it's me."

When Grandpa Deng saw that it was Xu Nian, he immediately burst into laughter.

"Old Liu, you've misunderstood. If it weren't for Xiao Xu today, my old arms and back would probably be in the hospital for months. Xiao Deng's room was just sitting idle anyway, so I rented it to these two kids. I forgot to tell you."

Upon hearing this, Grandpa Liu finally lowered his wary gaze.

He carefully examined the two people, memorized their appearances, and then let them into the residential area.

"Thank you, Grandpa Deng."

"Haha, it's okay. Come find me next time you need anything. I live upstairs from you."

"it is good."

Grandpa Deng smiled and waved to the two of them, then pulled Grandpa Liu into the guardhouse.

"Come on, Lao Liu, it's been a while since we played chess. Let's have a couple of rounds tonight..."

......

In the short time I was lingering at the door, the rain got heavier and heavier.

The faint sound of thunder could be heard in the distance.

After taking a shower and telling Xu Hu that she would be back to work tomorrow, Xu Nian began assigning rooms.

"Xiaoxi, you can sleep in that room."

Xu Nian pointed to the room at the back of the corridor.

With two rooms, we finally don't have to squeeze into one bed anymore.

The thought of waking up every morning to find a sleeping kitten nestled in her arms always makes Xu Nian blush.

Xu Xi nodded obediently.

After Xu Nian went inside and closed the door, she felt a little disappointed.

Now that we have two rooms, I can't sleep with my brother anymore.

Xu Xi lay on her bed, the soft new quilt wrapped around her body, but she felt extremely cold.

Raindrops pounded against the windowpane, while distant lightning and thunder occasionally illuminated the dark city.

Xu Xi tucked the soft pillow between her legs and curled up tightly.

In a daze, Xu Xi seemed to have returned to that cold, rainy night that filled her with fear.

It was raining heavily that day, and you could faintly hear thunder outside the hospital.

Xu Xi trembled and curled up in the hospital corridor. The bruises on her body from her father's beatings throbbed with pain, but she could no longer cry out. She was enveloped in endless fear.

The ward in front of her was surrounded by doctors in white coats.

"Are you sure you want to give up treatment? Although your disease cannot be cured, conservative treatment can greatly prolong your survival time."

"Understood, we respect your decision."

Immediately afterwards, the ward door opened, and the doctors in white coats shook their heads and sighed as they left the ward.

"Little sister, your mother wants you to come in."

A nurse came out and looked at Xu Xi, who was squatting on the ground, with pity.

Xu Xi leaned against the wall, struggled to her feet, and limped into the ward.

Her mother was lying weakly on the hospital bed, her body covered with various medical instruments.

"Mother!"

Xu Xi choked back tears as she squatted down in front of her mother, whose face was pale and who was having great difficulty breathing.

The mother slowly placed her hand on Xu Xi's cheek, a gesture that seemed to use all her strength.

Her hands were icy cold, and Xu Xi gripped them tightly, trying to transfer some of her body heat to her mother.

"Little Creek...Mommy is going to a very, very far place."

"Mommy! Little Creek doesn't want you to leave!"

The mother coughed a few times, and blood splattered faintly from the corner of her mouth.

"From now on... from now on you have to be good... If... if there's someone willing to protect you... you must listen to them..."

"Mommy...Mommy will become a star in heaven...watching the stream grow..."

As she finished speaking, her hand slowly sank down.

The piercing alarm blared throughout the entire ward.

Xu Xi burst into tears and hugged her mother tightly.

She gradually felt her mother's temperature getting lower and lower until the arriving doctor took her mother away.

She slumped to the ground, helpless, staring blankly as her mother receded further and further away.

The rain pattered incessantly outside the window, and a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the entire city as bright as day.

On that cold, rainy night, Xu Xi lost the only person who loved her forever.

......